Fidelia Okafor

The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) recently played host to government delegate from the Republic of Liberia who were on a courtesy visit to the institute on matters relating to cassava value chain technologies.

The team which was made of stake holders in cassava flour production, scientist, researchers, civil society groups, government agencies, financial institutions, farmers, etc was in the country to explore possible ways of replicating the success story of FIIRO in their bid to diversifying the Liberian economy.

Mrs. Medinat Adetunji, the facilitator of the visit, who is also a consultant to the African Development Bank (ADB), has been known to champion the issue of Cassava in Nigeria and under her advocacy; cassava was longer referred to as the poor man’s crop but the Green Gold, and she described FIIRO as an authority in cassava processing in Nigeria.

In her welcome address, the Director General and CEO, FIIRO, Prof Gloria Elemo streesed on the need for Africa to catch up with the western world by changing the fate of Africa and Africans through the activities of Small and Medium Enterprises.

She described agriculture as the pillar for development and transformation, adding that the institute has spurred industrialisation in different sectors of the Nigerian economy through the development and commercialisation of indigenous technologies.

The DG also intimated the delegates that FIIRO pioneered cassava processing in Nigeria with over 25 commercialisable products from cassava.

However, Elemo and other Directors of the institute led the delegates on a guided tour of the institute’s Cassava Processing Pilot Plant and other facilities of interest and relevance.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Patrick Worzie, the leader of the Liberian team, (Assistant Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Liberia commended FIIRO for its great achievements and contributions to the rapid industrialisation of Nigeria through the commercialisation of its research results.

He noted that his team is a technical team comprising both experts and business people especially in the cassava sector of the Liberian economy.

Moreover, the Minister reiterated that the mission was to learn from the Nigerian experience so as not to reinvent the wheel but leverage on the expertise already available in Nigeria to grow the cassava sector and other sectors in the Liberian economy.